The Agarylnaer
by RedLittleDevilAmadeo
Summary: Legolas meets a mysterious dark man... Don't read if you hate Vampires. Oh yeah and read and review and no flames. Thanks
1. Chapter 1

Lord of the Rings and Vampires  
Elves and Vampires ? The idea was just too tempting, I had to at least try to write a fic on them !  
((( this denotes a flashback )))  
  
Chapter 1  
In Mirkwood, a long time ago:  
  
Everything was quiet.  
  
The young Elf was perched on a high branch of a tree, resting his back  
  
against the trunk. His keen hearing perceived many sounds: a sparrow flying  
  
through the trees, a pine cone falling on the dirty ground and, of course,  
  
the eternal song of the wind brushing against the leaves.  
  
The blond Elf was thinking - thinking of Mirkwood.  
  
He had thought the beauty of the green forest would be everlasting, but the  
  
shadow veiling the greenwoods had proved him wrong. This perversion of the  
  
forest was significant for him because, one day, he would have to take the  
  
reins of power and become King for he, Legolas, was the son of Thranduil,  
  
Lord of Mirkwood.  
  
Evil and darkness were creeping ceaselessly upon his native land, and  
  
monsters were now haunting it . . . His father's words still echoed in his  
  
head:  
((("Legolas, my dear son, do not *ever* wander too far off on your own! You  
  
know my heart would be broken if something were to happen to you. Especially  
  
after what happened to your brother . . ."  
  
Thranduil´s voice trailed off but he quickly controlled himself, even if his  
  
heart was still stinging from the return of a painful memory.)))  
The Mirkwood Prince remembered the night when his brother had gone missing.  
  
All the usually serene Mirkwood Elves were agitated, looking for Prince  
  
Heleghin, third Prince of Mirkwood.  
Legolas had been a child, but the memory would be carved on his soul  
  
forever. He could remember the troop of Elves returning from their search,  
  
two of them carried a litter bearing the corpse of Prince Heleghin. It was a  
  
gruesome sight.  
((("Attacked by spiders, my Lord", said an Elf.  
  
Thranduil didn´t answer, he just stood there, head high, his silver hair  
  
falling on his strong shoulders. His fingers brushed his dead son´s cheek  
  
and softly closed the veiled, icy-blue eyes with his fingers. Heleghin´s  
  
tunic was rent and soaked with blood.  
  
"The funeral will take place tomorrow. We will bury him on the Green Hill,  
  
which will now be called Haudh-en-Nirmaeth.  
  
Only a single tear escaped the Lord of Mirkwood, but his heart was torn to  
  
pieces. However, he had to remain strong, for the survival of Mirkwood . .  
  
.)))  
Though it had happened more than three hundred years ago, Legolas could  
  
still remember every detail . . .  
  
A swift flapping of leathery wings suddenly interrupted Legolas' thoughts.  
  
He turned his head toward the odd sound. The flapping stopped and the black  
  
object he had spotted disappeared. Unworried, he turned back . . . and came  
  
face to face with two small, red eyes!  
  
He gasped in surprise, and the bat, with its long black wings, flew down  
  
toward the forest floor. The blond Elf grabbed his bow and quiver in the  
  
space of a second and, jumping silently from branch to branch, followed it.  
  
His sharp eyes caught the bat's movement and he gave chase, drawing his bow.  
  
He didn´t like the idea of being surprised by a bat!  
  
He followed the bat for mere seconds before arriving in a small clearing. He  
  
stopped, searching the landscape for the creature, when he heard a twig snap  
  
behind him.  
  
He spun swiftly around and found himself staring into the eyes of a strange  
  
dark-haired man.  
Not the End ( well hopefully ! ) Please read and review and no flames. Thanks 


	2. Chapiter 2

Part 2  
Legolas couldn´t stop contemplating the dark man's eyes.  
  
The iris was unnaturally bright, circled by a dark ring.  
  
The man blinked, breaking the spell, and Legolas nimbly drew his bow, aiming  
  
it at the dark man.  
  
The stranger only laughed deeply and took a step toward the Elf.  
  
"Do not come any closer!" Legolas said in a calm, clear voice." Or I will  
  
shoot!"  
  
"No you won´t", the dark man answered, his voice was deep and confident. He  
  
sounded almost amused by the Elf´s reactions.  
  
Legolas was confused, he was still quite young and curiosity overcame  
  
prudence.  
  
"You will *not* kill me. You can *not* kill me!" the man said confidently.  
  
His tone and appearance were cold, yet the archer felt oddly attracted to  
  
this stranger.  
  
"Who are you?" Legolas asked. He was even more bewildered now he had spotted  
  
the man´s pointy and prominent canines.  
  
"A vampire", the dark stranger answered, approaching the Elf, "son of death  
  
and darkness. My name will not tell you anything . . ."  
  
He was less than a meter away from the Elf. They were about the same height.  
  
Both had long, glorious hair. One had locks the colour of the sun, so light  
  
it looked like pure silver, and the other had dark hair, like a cascade of  
  
night.  
  
The blond Elf dropped his bow. The dark man came closer.  
  
Legolas was not afraid, just intimidated, by the dark, mysterious man, yet  
  
the idea of running away, or even picking up his bow, did not even occur to  
  
him.  
  
"Would you like to come with me?" the man asked.  
  
Legolas could feel the man's hot breath on his face.  
  
"You will see the world in a different way, and discover many new pleasures  
  
. . ."  
  
The vampire lifted his hand to meet Legolas´ neck and the Elf did not even  
  
resist as the man cut him sharply with long fingernails, which looked like  
  
claws.  
  
Beads of blood ran from the Prince´s ivory skin.  
  
" What are y -?"  
  
The Elf´s question was interrupted when the vampire suddenly leaned forward,  
  
taking Legolas in his arms and sinking his teeth into the Elf's pale neck.  
  
At first Legolas resisted, struggling in the vampire´s terrible grasp. Then  
  
a sudden weakness took him by surprise and he passed out, the vampire still  
  
sucking his scarlet elven blood.  
Not the end. Please read and review and no flames.thanks 


	3. Chapter 3

Lord of the Rings and Vampires  
  
Part 3  
Rating : pg-13  
  
The Elf awoke to the feeling of warm liquid on his lips.  
  
His eyes fluttered open. He felt incredibly weak, and a tree root was  
  
digging in his shoulder, but for the moment, Legolas was focusing only on  
  
the form lying next to him.  
  
His eyes were blurry but he was soon able to recognize the Vampire he had  
  
encountered a few minutes ago.  
  
The Agaryulnaer . . . (I think it's bloodsucker in Elvish but I'mnot 100% sure)  
  
The Agaryulnaer's arm was stretched over Legolas' face and blood was  
  
dripping from his wrist, into the Elf's mouth.  
  
" Now that you have enough strength to move, you must feed yourself." the  
  
Vampire said in a dark voice, presenting his open wrist to the Elf.  
  
Legolas closed his eyes, the Vampire's blood was already boiling his blood,  
  
filling him with a white-hot need. A myriad of emotions combined in his soul  
  
and his mind seem unable to distinguish good from evil . . .  
  
Legolas re-opened his sky-blue eyes and stared into the Vampire's dark,  
  
unnatural ones. The Elf grabbed his bleeding wrist and slammed it down with  
  
all the strength left in his body.  
  
The Vampire shook his head and sighed.  
  
"Even the strength of your people can not save you from by bite. The only  
  
way for you to survive is to taste my blood yourself."  
  
The Elf closed his eyes slowly, and in the space of a few seconds, he took  
  
hold of both the Vampire's wrists and flipped him around, so he was now  
  
straddling the creature. He bit, without thought or remorse, into the  
  
vampire's pale neck.  
  
The Agaryulnaer, after quickly recovering from his surprise, smiled  
  
wickedly, as Legolas continued to suck his delicious vampire blood.  
  
"I knew you would understand. And you recover so much faster than humans."  
  
The Elf was still feeding. The blood was so luscious he found himself lost  
  
in a whirl of pleasure.  
  
"That's enough now . . . Stop it! STOP! "  
  
The Vampire took hold of the Elf's shoulder and pushed him away violently.  
  
They both had more strength than any human, but the evilest was also the  
  
strongest. Darkness gave the strange being the strength of ten people.  
  
Legolas fell on his back, landing on a soft carpet of leaves. He was panting  
  
for breath.  
  
As for the Vampire, his deathly pale hand was rubbing his neck, and a smile  
  
flickered over his bright red lips. He nimbly stood, his cold grey eyes  
  
gazing at the young Elf.  
  
Already the transformation had begun.  
  
Dark rings had appeared under Legolas' eyes, a very rare condition for an  
  
Elf. His already pale, creamy skin now looked sepulchral and his canines had  
  
grown long and pointy.  
  
"Now don't you worry, a Vampire's world isn't all cold, dark and solitary.  
  
We have many and far better ways to enjoy ourselves. Pleasure . . .", his  
  
eyes shot lightning, and were filled with lust and  
  
desire.  
  
". . . and blood!" The Vampire licked the wound on his wrist, and it healed  
  
and left no scar.  
  
"Those two words go really well together now don't you think?" he added, a  
  
devilish grin on his scarlet lips.  
  
Legolas was listening to him, resting on his elbows. The braid at the back  
  
of his head had come undone, letting his long hair fall on each side of his  
  
head.  
  
His silky hair still looked like pure gold, but somehow it didn't shine like  
  
before. It had lost that special glow that made his hair look sun-drenched.  
  
"Anyway . . ." said the Vampire, suddenly straightening up as if emerging  
  
from a trance.  
  
". . . I must leave now, I have important things to do. Oh! And that  
  
horrible sun! Good thing we're not as vulnerable as before!"  
  
He raised a hand with long sharp nails to protect his sensitive eyes from  
  
the offensive sun's rays.  
"You mean I will never be able to look upon her again?" asked Legolas, a  
  
hint of sorrow in his voice.  
  
"Her? Ah, you mean the sun! Who would want to look at those burning rays  
  
anyway? And what about your beloved Elbereth, Lady of the Stars? Isn't she  
  
the Elves' favorite?"  
  
The Mirkwood Prince didn't answer, and silence fell between them.  
  
"See! You should venerate the night instead of the day!  
  
"You do not know what you are talking about! How can you understand any Elf,  
  
or whom we love and worship? You are no Elf!!"  
  
Legolas sat upright as he spoke, his rage making him forget his weakness.  
  
The Agaryulnaer's eyes were shining with so much anger the Elf wished he  
  
hadn't spoken. He was very brave for one so young, but the Vampire's  
  
diabolical fury was more than he could handle.  
  
"Don't be so sure!" And with those words, the Agaryulnaer strode away.  
  
He stopped at the edge of the clearing, and without turning back he added:  
  
"Once the sun you like so much has died three times, I will meet you right  
  
here. Be here, for your own sake! Until then, don't get into too much  
  
trouble and don't forget - darkness is your new home!"  
  
And with that last admonition, he disappeared in the woods.  
  
Not the end 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
** ... **: Legolas POV  
  
Agarylnaer = blood sucker in Elvish  
  
The Elf, after a few seconds of stupefaction, strode slowly to a fallen tree  
  
and collapsed beside it with his back against the trunk.  
  
** Darkness...my home...?  
  
Will I only be able to gaze at the stars and moonlight...? Will I never  
  
again feel the warmth of the sun on my skin... only a horrible burning?  
  
What am I going to do?  
  
Father! My Father! He must be worried sick!  
  
And that awful taste in my mouth!**  
  
He walked to a river of clear water just a few meters away. The sound of his  
  
feet crushing the leaves seemed, to his ears, louder than usual. He cupped  
  
some water in his hand but something stopped him from drinking it: his  
  
reflection in the water.  
  
** My teeth! They are pointy and sharp!  
  
And my eyes! They look like those of a human who has not slept in weeks!  
  
What is happening to me?  
  
I cannot even think straight anymore...  
  
Am I going to become like him? An Agarylnaer?  
  
Or maybe I already *am* a Vampire!  
  
Oh, by the Valar! Someone help me!  
  
And how did the Agarylnaer know so much about the customs of the Elves?  
  
Maybe I am not the first one he has met, or perhaps he once lived among  
  
us...  
  
And when I said he was not an Elf, why did he answer that I should not be so  
  
sure? Could he once have been an Elf? Does that mean I am going to become  
  
exactly like him?**  
  
Legolas dropped his head and sighed heavily. He sat down on the fresh grass,  
  
wrapped his arms about his knees, and closed his eyes in despair. The Elf  
  
felt tears spring to his veiled blue eyes and he shut them tighter, trying  
  
to keep the tears at bay, but still they escaped his long black lashes. He  
  
raised a shaking hand to wipe them off, and to his horror, he realized his  
  
tears were scarlet.  
  
**I am weeping...blood!  
  
What *is* happening to me?  
  
I must go home, Ada will know what to do.  
  
But, I cannot even remember what happened exactly!  
  
Did I *choose* this transformation?  
  
He was next to me...I was lying down...yes, I remember now! I straddled him  
  
and I drank his blood!  
  
He did not even force me!  
  
But why? Was I going to die if I did not drink?  
  
I was so confused; the hunger clouded my mind. I thought life would be  
  
preferable to death, even life as a creature like him, and now I too am a  
  
creature of darkness! I cannot even look at the sun without being burned!  
  
No! I cannot go home...  
  
What will Ada say? He was so proud of me!  
  
That Vampire was right, in a way, darkness *is* my new home!  
  
I am so ashamed! No Elf would ever accept such a thing! They would sooner  
  
choose death!**  
  
He cupped his hand and scooped up water once again, intending to splash it  
  
upon his pale, red-streaked face, to cleanse away the blood that was  
  
beginning to coagulate upon his cheeks. He stopped suddenly, and slowly  
  
poured the water from his hand. Reaching up hesitantly, he traced two  
  
fingers through the sticky blood upon his cheek then drew them away. He  
  
looked for a long moment at the red droplets, fighting the urge to taste the  
  
sweet, life-sustaining fluid.  
  
**I must not.**  
  
Before he was aware of any conscious intention, he found himself sucking the  
  
blood greedily from his fingers, savoring the succulence of his scarlet  
  
tears.  
  
Realizing what he had done, he pounded his fist upon the ground and gave a  
  
howl of rage and hopelessness.  
  
**Now Legolas, calm down. It is not that bad. At least I am alive!  
  
By Elbereth! I cannot believe what I am saying!  
  
Yes, I am alive, but I would rather be dead!  
  
This is horrible! I cannot think properly!  
  
I guess I should do what he said and wait for him. It is not going to be  
  
*that* long... Only three days.**  
  
Legolas tried, but he could not persuade himself that his situation was not  
  
that dire. He lay down beside the river and drifted into a troubled Elven  
  
reverie.  
  
Not the End Please read and review and no flames. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
"So, you have come, just as I told you to."  
  
Legolas nearly jumped out of his skin, startled by the voice he didn´t  
  
expect. It seemed like he had lost all his Elven senses.  
  
"You didn´t hear me arrive? How odd for an Elf..."  
  
Legolas glared at him. After those three horrible days, he wasn´t in the  
  
mood to hear comments like this.  
  
"I thought I was no longer an Elf but a Vampire," he said sarcastically.  
  
"It takes time, but soon you´ll be a real Agarylnaer. And don´t worry, your  
  
keen senses will return, and they´ll be even sharper..."  
  
The Elf didn´t answer, instead he just stared at the Agarylnaer with his  
  
hypnotic, dark blue eyes. His gaze was piercing, even for the confident  
  
Vampire, who was forced to drop his gaze first.  
  
"Who *are* you?" Legolas asked, narrowing his eyes with distrust.  
  
"I already answered that question! Even if I told you my name, it would mean  
  
nothing to you! You wou..."  
  
"Tell me!" the Elf shouted, standing up abruptly, a strong force radiating  
  
from him.  
  
The Agarylnaer stepped back.  
  
"Calm down, there´s no need to get angry."  
  
"Tell me!" Legolas walked up to him, his face inches from the Agarylnaer's.  
  
"I know you! That´s why you won´t tell me who you are! But I´ve already seen  
  
your face! Or someone of your family, I´m sure I have!"  
  
The Vampire remained silent.  
  
"Why can´t you just speak the truth? Just because you´re a Vampire, you  
  
can´t be honest? For once in your life?!  
  
"Listen, I..."  
  
"No! You listen! My life is worse than if I were in Mordor! This is hell!  
  
Hell!"  
  
Legolas was striding forward as he was speaking, his eyes flashing with  
  
anger and exasperation, and the Vampire was stepping back, not knowing how  
  
to calm his disciple. He had done this to find a friend, a brother, and he  
  
had chosen an Elf, expecting this race to adapt better. But he was wrong, he  
  
was starting to realize it... Elves are creatures of light and goodness. No  
  
matter how deeply you search, there is no evil in them at all. They would  
  
harm no living thing, except in self-defense and would never purposefully  
  
take the life of another.  
  
"I guess you can´t change me back, and even if you could, I´m not sure you  
  
would! So you can at least tell me who you are! It´s not much compared to  
  
what you´ve done to me! Why do you want to hide the truth? Why? Why?! -  
  
Fine!"  
  
The Agarylnaer unexpectedly pushed the Elf away. He fell back with a  
  
soundless cry.  
  
"You want to know the truth? Here´s the truth, my name is Elros! Does that  
  
ring a bell?!"  
  
"Elros...? You´re Lord Elrond´s..."  
  
"Yes! Elrond´s brother! Elrond´s *human* brother!"  
  
Legolas slowly stood up and leaned on a tree for support.  
  
"But you´re supposed to be...dead. You became a Vampire to be...immortal?!"  
  
The Agarylnaer nodded.  
  
"But why didn´t you choose to be an Elf? Lord Elrond told me you had a  
  
choice, just like him."  
  
"A choice?" he gave a small laugh. "I did *not* have a choice! Only one of  
  
us could be immortal, the other had to be human... And Elrond was everyone's  
  
favorite, so I became mortal. I lived for many years, more than any other  
  
human did, and I was one of the greatest kings of men. But death slowly  
  
arrived and I couldn´t bear to pass away... So I stepped inside the  
  
corridors of red death and became a son of Darkness, a Vampire..."  
  
Silence fell between the two. The Agarylnaer's explanation had calmed  
  
Legolas´ anger.  
  
"Come home with me." The Elf abruptly said.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Yes, to Mirkwood. My father will send a messenger to Imladris, Elrond will  
  
soon arrive and he´ll..."  
  
"Don´t even think about it! Why would they want to help me? As for you,  
  
you´re a Vampire now, not an Elf, your family will reject you!"  
  
"My family is wiser than you think!"  
  
"And who is your peculiar family?" Elros asked ironically, leaning on a tree  
  
trunk.  
  
"My father is Lord Thranduil, King of Mirkwood!"  
  
The Vampire didn´t even seem surprised, no emotions showed on his pale face.  
  
"And you think your father will be able to help me? No offense, but I doubt  
  
he can even save you!"  
  
He started walking away.  
  
"Well I´m going home, so unless you wish to stay alone, I advise you to come  
  
with me."  
  
The Agarylnaer stopped walking, and a small grin played on Legolas´ lips. He  
  
had guessed right: Elros was terribly lonely...  
  
"So, you´re coming?"  
  
The Vampire turned around and paced towards Legolas. He walked quickly past  
  
him - in the direction of Mirkwood.  
  
"Why can´t you just accept it like all the others?"  
  
Legolas smiled and ran after him.  
  
End of Chapter 5 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
They walked between the large colorful trees. Autumn was arriving and the  
  
leaves were taking on shades of yellow and orange.  
  
Legolas was in the lead, but after awhile, he realized the Vampire wasn´t  
  
following him.  
  
"Elros! Elros! Where are you?" Legolas was worried. He deeply wanted to help  
  
the poor, lonely Vampire.  
  
"Calm down, my Prince, I went to catch some food." Elros was holding a large  
  
rabbit by the ears, blood dripping from its open throat.  
  
"You want some?" he asked, licking his bloody fingers. "Not as good as human  
  
blood but still quite tasty."  
  
Legolas didn´t answer, he only stared the scarlet blood.  
  
"Don´t resist it, you know you can´t. Just taste it, come on..." He handed  
  
Legolas the dead rabbit.  
  
Legolas brought it to his mouth. He licked his lips in anticipatory delight.  
  
"We found him!" Two Elves shouted, leaping from behind the trees and running  
  
toward them.  
  
Legolas dropped the rabbit and waited to see Elros´ reaction. He was glaring  
  
angrily at the intruders.  
  
"Prince Legolas! Your father was so worried! Your disappearance brought back  
  
to him the memory of Prince Heleghin and he ... Who is this?"  
  
The Elves bowed respectfully to the stranger.  
  
"Legolas! Thranduil called happily.  
  
"Ada!" Legolas replied.  
  
The King descended from his white horse and sweetly embraced his son. A  
  
group of Elves stood behind him, all overjoyed to see the Prince alive.  
  
"What happened to you? Why didn´t you come home? And you look so...weary.  
  
He´s not weary! He´s a Vampire!" Elros said. He already had five arrows  
  
aimed at him, but he couldn´t have cared less.  
  
"A... A Vampire?"  
  
Lord Thranduil gently pushed up his son's upper lip, stepping back abruptly  
  
when he saw the pointed teeth. He shot a look at Elros.  
  
"Who are you? What have you done to my son? Wait... I remember you... but  
  
you are... Seize him!" he cried. Four Elves surrounded the Vampire. Lord  
  
Thranduil had understood everything in a second, why Elros was still alive,  
  
and what had happened to his son.  
  
"We´re going back to Mirkwood. Guard him carefully, he´s dangerous..."  
  
Elros grinned and, grabbing the Elf who stood nearest in an iron grip, bit  
  
him sharply on the neck. The other Elves jumped him at once, but with his  
  
teeth and nails, he easily got free and ran, leaving four injured Elves.  
  
Several arrows hit Elros, but he continued running and had disappeared  
  
within a few seconds.  
  
"I didn't know Agarylnaers were so fast, nor so strong... Carry the injured,  
  
and hold Legolas tightly, we don't know what could happen...  
  
But, Ada, they´ve been bitten, they´re going to become Vampires too! You  
  
must...  
  
I know Legolas, don´t worry! Just try to resist the Evil that is creeping  
  
inside you. Everything will soon be back to normal, I hope." Thranduil added  
  
before mounting his horse.  
  
The King's entourage went back to Mirkwood. Prince Legolas and the four injured  
  
Elves (who were very weak and could barely move) were taken to the infirmary  
  
and healers were sent to see to their wounds.  
  
Meanwhile, Thranduil had a long conversation with Mithrandir, an Istari,  
  
also known as Gandalf.  
  
They discussed the matter of Vampires and, after awhile, Mithrandir took an  
  
old, dusty book from a shelf and said: "Thranduil, I have never tried this  
  
spell, but there´s no reason why it shouldn´t work. Although I don´t know  
  
anything about the side effects, if there are any..." Gandalf hesitated and  
  
The Lord of Mirkwood nodded, encouraging the Istari to continue.  
  
"I´ll try to make this simple. Your son now possesses two souls. An  
  
infinitely evil one, which assaulted and perverted Legolas´ soul. It needs  
  
blood to survive. This perverted soul contains a part of Elros´ mortal soul.  
  
Whenever a Vampire bites a victim, part of his soul is transferred to that  
  
victim. If the vampire is destroyed, that part of the victim's soul also  
  
dies, and the evil, perverted soul takes over completely. The other soul  
  
Legolas possesses is his own incorruptible Elven soul. If we can't destroy  
  
the evil soul, Legolas' Elven soul will, over time, be swallowed up by evil,  
  
and he will remain a vampire for eternity."  
  
"Will this spell change him back?" Thranduil asked anxiously.  
  
"That is its intent. The most difficult ingredient to find is a drop of  
  
blood of a family member. But in this case it shouldn´t be too hard to  
  
find."  
  
Gandalf smiled warmly before continuing, "This blood drop will strengthen  
  
his Elven soul and allow it to overcome the evil soul. Though Legolas will  
  
retain a part of Elros' mortal soul. During this phenomenon, the individual  
  
will fall into a deep, troubled sleep, and if he ever awakes, he will be  
  
back to normal."  
  
They both gazed through the wide-open window. The sun was slowly  
  
disappearing from the blood-red sky. The shadows of the tall trees became  
  
lost in the deep darkness creeping over Mirkwood.  
  
Thranduil sat down with a sigh. He turned to Gandalf and said, "What if he  
  
never awakens?  
  
"Then both souls will be lost, and he, an immortal Elf, will die."  
  
An oppressive silence settled between them.  
  
"Legolas is strong, you know it. If anyone can survive this, he will be able  
  
to." Added Mithrandir, after seeing the veil of sadness in Thranduil´s eyes.  
  
The Lord of Mirkwood smiled at this. He remembered Heleghin. The death of  
  
his son had hurt him deeply, like an emptiness in his own soul nothing could  
  
ever fill. He could still remember his son's bright blue eyes.  
  
And the last thing he wanted was to see his last son and heir die, with no  
  
hope of return.  
  
"I must go prepare the potion," Gandalf said. "Just make sure nothing else  
  
happens to Legolas." He bowed low and took his leave.  
  
Thranduil gave Mithrandir a drop of his blood, and Gandalf prepared the  
  
potion. Aware of the risk, Legolas had decided to try the spell. He drank  
  
the potion, but it took him more than half an hour, the taste being so foul  
  
and sour. It became worse when Gandalf told him what was in it, but Legolas  
  
insisted on knowing; or else he would have never swallowed a drop, even  
  
though he trusted Gandalf with his life.  
  
Now the Elf fell into a restless sleep. His father, three Elves, and  
  
Gandalf, all gathered around the bed.  
  
"You found him just in time. The final phase of the transformation was  
  
almost complete. A few more hours and he would have been a true Vampire.  
  
"See..." Gandalf said, producing a small mirror and holding it where  
  
everyone could see," he has no reflection."  
  
The three Elves were astonished, and tried to understand how this could be.  
  
As for Thranduil, he wasn´t really surprised, he already knew some of this.  
  
"Now all we can do is wait, and pray the Valar he will wake up."  
  
End of chapter 6 


	7. Chapter 7

The Agarylnaer  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Three days had passed and Legolas still hadn´t moved an eyelid. His body was  
  
a ghostly white and the last fragment of light had faded from his face.  
  
Thranduil and Gandalf were still at his bedside. The three Elves, who were  
  
very close to Thranduil, had gone out. They couldn´t bear to see the  
  
Mirkwood Lord in such a state.  
  
Now it was Legolas´ best friend, Celebalph, who was also at his bedside,  
  
waiting but not fully understanding what was happening.  
  
Unexpectedly, Thranduil stood up and said, in a clear but strong voice:  
  
"Please, leave me alone with my son."  
  
Mithrandir and Celebalph looked at each other, they didn´t want to leave the  
  
desolate Lord of Mirkwood alone, at a time when he needed his friends the  
  
most, when he needed someone to rely on.  
  
"Out! Both of you!" Thranduil didn´t even face them as he spoke. His eyes  
  
were fixed on Legolas. They both walked out and slowly closed the door  
  
without a sound.  
  
"Why does he want to remain alone with him?" asked the young Celebalph, who  
  
wasn´t very familiar with mortality and death.  
  
"He´s gathering his thoughts, he probably still can´t face what is  
  
happening. Legolas is dying, Celebalph! Dying! So I guess he´s going to talk  
  
with his son for the last time..." Gandalf's head sank down in defeat, his  
  
long gray hair falling forward to shade his face, like a veil of grief.  
  
Back in the bedroom, Thranduil was stroking his son´s hair.  
  
"My little Legolas..." he sighed heavily, "I told you thousands of times not  
  
to go too far on your own. Why didn´t you listen to me? If only you had  
  
never gone into that forest and never met Elros, you would have lived in  
  
health and joy for eternity, as befits an Elf. Oh, why must you leave me  
  
also? Your brother´s death was so hard. Don't make me go through this again.  
  
You can´t do this to me Legolas! You can´t..."  
  
The last word was lost in a sob as he leaned forward and kissed the cold  
  
hand he was firmly holding. Thranduil´s body was shaken with sobs and  
  
whimpers as an endless flood of tears fell from his sorrow-dimmed eyes.  
  
He stayed like this and cried for many hours, until, when all his strength  
  
and hope were gone, the Lord of Mirkwood felt a movement in his hands.  
  
His head snapped up and he slowly released Legolas´ death-pale hand,  
  
watching it intently for any sign of movement.  
  
"Legolas? Legolas! Can you hear me?"  
  
No answer.  
  
"I am losing my mind! I must stop this! I was just dreaming," he said sadly  
  
to himself. He took Legolas' hand in his and gave it a small squeeze.  
  
He felt the hand twitch beneath his. Legolas had moved! He was sure of it  
  
now!  
  
"He´s moving! He´s alive!" he shouted.  
  
Mithrandir and two Elves ran in, nearly tripping over each other. They all  
  
gathered around the bed. And finally, Legolas slowly opened his eyes.  
  
"My son! Legolas! How do you feel? Are you all right? Oh! Thank you  
  
Ilúvatar! You´re alive! A huge party will be thrown tonight! All the Elves  
  
in Mirkwood will dance and sing till dawn!" shouted Thranduil in reckless  
  
joy, hugging his son with all the love a father could give a son. It had  
  
worked! Legolas was back to normal.  
  
"Ada! I...I can´t see! Where are you?!"  
  
Thranduil´s happiness was dashed in an instant. He looked worriedly at  
  
Legolas and waved a hand in front of his son's eyes.  
  
"He´s...blind!"  
  
"No Ada, I can see... a little, only a little. Everything is blurred!"  
  
Thranduil was panicking, though he did everything to hide it, so his son  
  
wouldn't see (feel?) his fear.  
  
"Now everyone, calm down!" shouted Gandalf, as the other Elves had begun to  
  
chatter excitedly among themselves. So, this is but a side effect. It will  
  
fade away and Legolas will be able to see a little more every minute. Now I  
  
think we should let him rest for a while."  
  
Everyone nodded and was about to leave when Celebalph ran in.  
  
"I heard...Legolas! You finally woke up!"  
  
He hugged his best friend, and grinned.  
  
"I knew you couldn´t die! After all, you´re an Elf!"  
  
"Heu...Celebalph, we should leave him to rest now."  
  
The young Elf turned toward Mithrandir and agreed.  
  
"Yes, you´re right. Oh, and Legolas, don´t forget, I´m still going to take  
  
my revenge!"  
  
The Elf smiled, remembering the game they had played a few days ago. It also  
  
made him think of something else...  
  
"Ada! Please, one more thing..."  
  
"Whatever you want!"  
  
"Will you send a messenger to Imladris, asking Elrond to come here as fast  
  
as possible?" Legolas asked, dreading his father's answer.  
  
"I can´t believe you´re still thinking of Elros! After what he did to you?  
  
Legolas, I don´t think it´s a good idea!"  
  
But Thranduil´s heart trembled when he saw Legolas´ look of disappointment.  
  
"Very well, I will ask Elrond to come."  
  
It wasn´t Thranduil´s habit to indulge his son´s every whim, but after what  
  
Legolas had been through, it was the least he could do. He just hoped Elros  
  
wouldn´t cause any more trouble.  
  
"Thank you, Ada!"  
  
"Rest now, Legolas."  
  
And with a last look at Legolas, they all left the room.  
  
One of the fastest eagles from Mirkwood had been sent to Imladris, and  
  
Thranduil hoped Elrond wouldn´t be long in coming.  
  
Meanwhile, Legolas was sleeping most of the time. Sometimes waking up in the  
  
middle of the night, wondering what time and what day it was.  
  
When he wasn´t sleeping, he was often with Celebalph. They talked for hours  
  
and hours, their conversations and reminiscences a balm to Legolas' spirit.  
  
Legolas was recovering slowly and his eyesight had much improved. He could  
  
now see better than any human, but not as well as an Elf. Thankfully, there  
  
seemed to be no other side effects.  
  
One sunny afternoon, Legolas was awakened by the sound of laughter outside  
  
his bedroom. He quickly got dressed in a dark green outfit and went down the  
  
stairs. He was happily surprised to find Lord Elrond, the twins Elrohir and  
  
Elladan, and his father, all smiling at him.  
  
"Mae govannen everyone!"  
  
"Ah, Legolas, how do you feel?" Thranduil walked up to him and took his son  
  
in his arms.  
  
"And when is the party?" asked Legolas with a smile, referring to  
  
Thranduil´s bedside comment of many days ago.  
  
The Mirkwood Lord grinned, "You decide, but for now, we have other matters  
  
to discuss: Elros."  
  
Elrond shivered when he heard his brother´s name. His long dead brother...  
  
at least that´s what he had thought for thousands of years. He had been very  
  
saddened by his brother´s death, but he thought he had *chosen* to be human!  
  
This was a great shock for Elrond. He found it hard to believe he was going  
  
to see his brother after so many years! And now, worst of all, Elros was a  
  
Vampire!  
  
"Father, I must go find him, or else he will never come!"  
  
"You´re not going anywhere after what just happened! You will go nowhere  
  
without an escort from now on!" Thranduil said firmly.  
  
"But..."  
  
"There are no 'buts'! You do what I say Legolas! This is not the time to act  
  
like a child!  
  
The young Elf lowered his gaze respectfully.  
  
"Now go rest in your room, you still look tired."  
  
Legolas withdrew without a sound. The twins looked at each other and  
  
followed him, leaving Elrond and Thranduil together.  
  
Elladan and Elrohir knocked on the Prince´s door.  
  
"Uh...Come in," Legolas said uncertainly.  
  
They walked in just as Legolas rose from hiding his bow under his bed.  
  
"You don´t have to hide, we know you´re going after him." said Elrohir  
  
casually, as if it were obvious.  
  
"So we thought we might come with you. You never know what could happen, or  
  
when an extra bow or sword might be needed." said Elladan, not even leaving  
  
Legolas the time to answer. "Come on then, get ready!"  
  
Legolas´ only answer was a grin, these two were really...unique!  
  
The End (TBC) 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
"Where did you see him last?" asked Elrohir.  
  
They had been searching for hours and still no sign of Elros.  
  
"Not far from here, but I doubt he'll come back to the exact same place,"  
  
answered Legolas, carefully listening, trying to perceive a noise that would  
  
betray Elros' presence.  
  
"Well... we'll just have to keep searching..."  
  
"Hey! Come over here!" shouted Legolas, a few meters away.  
  
They both ran up to him, and raised an eyebrow when they saw what he had  
  
discovered.  
  
"That's just a fox, Legolas. We know you always feel sorry for dead animals  
  
but I think we have more important things to do!" said Elrohir with a smile  
  
full of compassion.  
  
"Yeah! We want to see our uncle!" said Elladan with a grin.  
  
" *You* want to see our uncle!" added his brother.  
  
The two, despite their great age, were still quite childish, and would often  
  
quarrel or even fight about the smallest things, and they never agreed about  
  
anything except to play a trick on someone.  
  
"Well your dear uncle, like you say, is a Vampire! Which means he's probably  
  
the one who fed on this animal," said Legolas, kneeling to take a closer  
  
look.  
  
"Well, 'probably', like you said! Maybe it's not even him."  
  
"Elladan! Elros is an Agarylnaer! Am I going to have to drill this in your  
  
head? He's not...nice!" snapped Elrohir.  
  
"I know what a Vampire is! But I think family bonds are stronger. And maybe  
  
we could change him back, like him!" Elladan answered irritably, nodding  
  
toward the blond Elf.  
  
"Family bonds?!" retorted Elrohir, "Ech uchand! And Elros' transformation is  
  
complete, he has been a Vampire for years! Unlike Legolas!  
  
"Don't start arguing you two!" cut in the Prince, who, contrary to the  
  
twins, was very mature for his young age. Maybe being brought up as an only  
  
child after Heleghin´s death had something to do with it. Legolas already  
  
had many responsibilities for his age. Being a king's son didn't have as  
  
many advantages as one might think. And Mirkwood wasn't the most pleasant  
  
place to dwell now that it was infested with spiders.  
  
Legolas' interruption had certainly calmed the two Elves, but it was harder  
  
than that to completely stop them from arguing:  
  
Elladan glared at his brother. "And maybe he could be a nice Vampire! If we  
  
are nice to him!"  
  
"My poor brother..." Elrohir answered with a sigh, "dhôl chîn nâ cofn!"  
  
Elladan´s eyes were shooting assassin's lightning at his grinning brother  
  
and he was about to grab his bow when...  
  
"Stop it! Both of you!"  
  
Legolas leapt between them, breaking the eye contact between the twins.  
  
"By the Valar! You´re not children anymore!"  
  
They both lowered their gazes and blushed slightly, even if they were doing  
  
their best to hide it.  
  
"Well, at least Elros won't be long in finding us with all the noise we've  
  
been making..." Legolas added, to show the twins he wasn't truly angry with  
  
them.  
  
"If he *wants* to find us!" pointed out Elrohir.  
  
"And why wouldn't he want to see his nephews? I mean, aren't we adorable?!"  
  
said Elladan, beaming.  
  
They both burst out laughing and hugged each other.  
  
And Legolas was watching them. Watching the sweet, affectionate embrace they  
  
were sharing. A smile played on his lips, a sad smile...  
  
They look so happy, he thought. He felt almost jealous of the closeness and  
  
love these two were sharing. He didn't and couldn't understand their  
  
arguments or their games.  
  
And at this moment, Legolas realized one thing: he had had no childhood. He  
  
had grown up too fast. He did sometimes play around with Celebalph, his best  
  
friend, but most of the time, he stayed alone in one of the many secret  
  
caves of his father's palace. He would stay there hours and hours, to read  
  
or simply think.  
  
"Legolas!"  
  
The blond Prince emerged from his thoughts with a cold hand around his neck.  
  
He immediately recognized Elros' grasp, and only he could have such cold  
  
blood. As for the twins, they were both pointing their bows toward the  
  
Vampire, Elladan a little more hesitantly - even if he didn't let anything  
  
show on his fierce face - because, unlike his brother, he felt terribly  
  
impressed by his uncle. And the resemblance between he and Elrond did not  
  
aid in stopping the trembling in his hands.  
  
"Why does your heart beat so fast?"  
  
The Vampire's question rang in Elladan's ears like a hundred bells.  
  
"Let Legolas go!" cut in Elrohir's strong voice.  
  
"And what will you do to me if I don't? Stab me with all the arrows in your  
  
quiver?" said Elros amusedly, the hand around Legolas´ neck tightening.  
  
Elrohir looked at him defiantly:  
  
"I'm not afraid of you!  
  
"No you´re not... unlike your brother," Elros darkly whispered, locking eyes  
  
with Elladan, who lowered his bow at once.  
  
The Vampire then turned his head slowly back to Elrohir.  
  
"Maybe you're not afraid of me, even though you should be, just ask  
  
Legolas..." Elros continued, with a quick glance at the blond Elf he was  
  
still holding tight with one ghostly-pale hand.  
  
"But maybe you will fear for your dear brother..."  
  
Elladan blinked in surprise at Elros' words, and next thing he knew, a cold  
  
metal blade was on his neck. The Agarylnaer was terrifyingly swift. He had  
  
let go of Legolas and ran to Elladan so fast that even the Elves could  
  
barely see his movements.  
  
Elrohir looked at Elros with wide eyes.  
  
As for Legolas, he had fallen to his hands and knees when the Agarylnaer had  
  
freed him. His mind was blurred, and so were his eyes. Seeing and feeling  
  
Elros again had brought up some of his old Vampire feelings and the side  
  
effects of the potion he had drunk. That's why he didn't even react when  
  
Elros attacked him. Why he didn't try to get free. A part of him still  
  
wanted to be a Vampire...  
  
"Now I control everything. You do anything that displeases me and you can  
  
say goodbye to your brother. I can end his immortality in the blink of an  
  
eye." Elros told Elrohir.  
  
He was holding Elladan's chin up in a steel grip as his other hand was  
  
pressing a silver dagger to the Elf's neck.  
  
Elrohir looked at the Vampire and then at his brother, whose eyes were  
  
pleading. But he didn't know what to do...  
  
"First, I want to know how you changed *him* back." Elros said, tilting his  
  
head to Legolas, who was still panting heavily.  
  
"We...we don't know. His father and an Istari used a spell on him and he was  
  
back to normal before we even arrived here..." answered Elrohir, putting his  
  
bow back on his shoulder. He understood Elros was the strongest by far and  
  
he had to be very careful with the Vampire, for the sake of Elladan's life.  
  
"And why did his wise and clever father let his son come back to the exact  
  
place he met me?"  
  
"He doesn't know we're here, but Legolas wanted to find you."  
  
The blond Elf lifted his head up when he heard his name. The Vampire had a  
  
small laugh.  
  
"That doesn't surprise me, that's why I chose him. He doesn't listen to  
  
anyone except himself, and that's good!"  
  
Elladan whimpered ever so softly, his stare not leaving his brother's eyes.  
  
"Please...let him go..." whispered Elrohir, "you wouldn't kill your nephew."  
  
"No, but maybe I could do something else to him," answered Elros, showing  
  
his fangs as he spoke.  
  
Elladan fidgeted against the Vampire who quickly quieted him down with a  
  
nudge of his dagger.  
  
"Please, put that knife down... We don't mean you any harm," ventured  
  
Elrohir.  
  
The Agarylnaer had a deep, dark laugh, before throwing the dagger a few  
  
inches from Elrohir's foot and pushing Elladan down on the fresh grass.  
  
"Mean me no harm?! What could you do to me anyway? Even if you wanted to?  
  
And do you think I need a knife to kill you and your twin in less than three  
  
seconds? I got this dagger from an Elf I fed on a few days ago. He was  
  
almost drunk, it wasn't very hard to surprise him... But he tasted terribly  
  
nice, must be that wine of yours..."  
  
Elrohir's fury floated back up and the expression on his face suddenly  
  
changed.  
  
" You murdered an Elf?! A first-born?! What right do you have to take an  
  
immortal's life?  
  
"Do not speak to me about immortality! I have tasted more than one Elf and  
  
I'm about to kill two more who are starting to get on my nerves...and  
  
immortal blood is the best one can find! Maybe you should have asked your  
  
father to tell you the real story about me and him, being half-Elves -But even Elrond doesn't know the truth!"  
  
Legolas' clear, crystal voice surprised all three of them. He had heard all  
  
of their conversation and was now sitting on his heels, his arms settled  
  
loosely on his thighs. His large blue eyes staring at nothing. As if lost in  
  
a dream, or a nightmare...  
  
"What?"  
  
Elros probably hadn't been so surprised in a long time. He usually  
  
anticipated and expected everything. But his astonished expression soon  
  
turned into a devilish smirk.  
  
"You're very gullible, little Elf! When you're mine, I'll teach you to trust  
  
no one, except me."  
  
To the twins' surprise, Legolas didn't even blink or flinch at the idea of  
  
becoming a Vampire, again. He didn't react to anything and didn't even seem  
  
frightened of Elros.  
  
"No, it's true! Father doesn't know you had no choice!" cried out Elladan.  
  
He continued, ignoring the look his brother was giving him. He told Elros  
  
everything he knew, and the things he did not know.  
  
All this time, the Agarylnaer was leaning against a tree, occasionally  
  
running a hand through his lush, dark hair.  
  
"And that is why we were searching for you. Elrond wants to see and talk to  
  
you!" concluded Elrohir, who was starting to understand why his brother was  
  
so eager to know Elros a little more.  
  
The Agarylnaer didn't answer. Instead, he knelt down and picked a tiny blue  
  
flower. The fallen leaves, long grass, and muddy forest floor were enough to  
  
hide all the cobalt blue plants. But Elros seemed to know they were there,  
  
hidden in the hostile environment.  
  
"This plant is called a Sea Eye," the Vampire stated in a surprisingly soft  
  
tone, "it attracts insects with its bright colour and sweet scent and then  
  
slowly closes its petals, while the insect is stuck in the pollen. That's  
  
the way it feeds..."  
  
Elros threw the tiny flower and stood back up.  
  
"It's Elrond´s favorite plant. He finds it 'exceptional', his very word."  
  
Elladan and Elrohir looked at each other.  
  
"Remember when we found that dried flower in one of Father's books from the  
  
library?"  
  
"Yes. And it was blue."  
  
"It was, and then he told us off like he never did before!"  
  
"And the Sea Eye was in a red leather book. A book about dragons, goblins  
  
and ... vampires," cut in Elros, his voice still as sweet as honey.  
  
The twins both stared at him with wide eyes and open mouths.  
  
"How do you know? Did you give him that flower?"  
  
"Yes, and that day he told me he would take care of me forever, which, as  
  
you know, he did not do," the Agarylnaer answered, his tone hardening as he  
  
went on.  
  
"And when I felt Death was very close, I remembered that book, remembered  
  
the creatures in it, the immortal creatures. I gathered information on  
  
Vampires during the last year of my reign. The spell in itself wasn't very  
  
difficult; the hardest part of all was to find the will and determination to  
  
accomplish the incantation. But for me, it wasn't a problem. I concentrated  
  
on a painting of myself that was done when I was younger, and here I am. Now  
  
you know the whole story."  
  
He lifted his gaze to meet Legolas' blue eyes. Even though he was talking  
  
with the twins, his attention was focused on the blond Elf. He wanted him,  
  
and maybe he even loved him, in his way...  
  
"Will you come home with me? Lord Elrond is there and -  
  
"Will you talk with him, or are we just wasting our time and risking our  
  
lives for nothing?!" interrupted Elrohir, whose patience had suddenly gone.  
  
Elros slowly turned his beautiful dark head to face Elrohir.  
  
"Oh, I'll talk to him... And I probably won't have too much trouble  
  
recognizing him with his immortal elven features!"  
  
"Why are you torturing yourself?"  
  
The Vampire's eyes snapped up at Legolas unexpected question.  
  
"I have been thinking of nothing else during hundreds of human lives! You  
  
can't even imagine how hard it was for me! My mind kept torturing me...  
  
Every night, every day, during my sleep... I stayed awake for hours each day thinking of why *he* was chosen, why he was everyone's favorite. Why I  
  
was destined to die. But what is death? I might have been happier just  
  
accepting my fate, accepting death. And now? I hope you don't expect me to  
  
just forgive him! Even if it wasn't his fault, he should have realized I  
  
wasn't well, he should have seen the fear behind my cheerful face! I  
  
couldn't be angry at him then, but I had time to think it all over and now I  
  
can't feel anything else for him but an infinite hatred!"  
  
None of them knew how to answer the bitter Agarylnaer, but he didn't seem to  
  
expect an answer anyway, and after a moment, Elladan spoke.  
  
"But after so many years, can't you forgive him?  
  
"Forgive him? Why? You just told me he didn't know! All your story is based  
  
on lies, I'm afraid."  
  
Elladan promised himself to think twice before speaking again to the  
  
Vampire.  
  
"You don't seem to really understand who or what I am. My heart is harder  
  
and colder than stone! And after all these years, I don't even feel like I  
  
have a heart anymore. It speaks a language I don't understand, it still  
  
beats as steadily as ever, but it doesn't allow me to feel love, tenderness,  
  
or friendship, certainly not after all the unforgivable things I've done..."  
  
Silence fell between them.  
  
"We must return to Thranduil's palace now, before he realizes we're gone,"  
  
Elladan insisted.  
  
End of Chapter 8  
  
Ech uchand = You're stupid  
  
Dhôl chîn nâ cofn = Your head is empty  
  
(Elvish shamelessly stolen from the net.) 


End file.
